1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a metronome for the optical and/or acoustic display of the tempo, the [beat] time and the division of the [beat] times of pieces of music, for musicians, dancers, choreographers, gymnasts and for supporting rhythm or rhythmic movements very generally such as for users of speech therapies, for sportspersons of all types, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional metronomes which are most common today display the [beat] time of a piece of music by way of a pendulum rod which is pivotally articulated on a horizontal axis of a clockwork mechanism and may swing to and fro about this axis. It is driven by a spring-driven clockwork mechanism capable of being wound up. A mass piece which is displaceable on the pendulum rod with regard to the height position permits the change in the moment of inertia of the pendulum rod so that the swinging movement may be adjusted in its frequency. At the turning points of the pendulum rod, the clockwork mechanism causes a ticking or clicking sound which is similar to the sound of beating wood and thus acoustically displays the point in time of turning. Such a metronome mostly further comprises a bell which is actuated by a tapping mechanism which is likewise driven by the clockwork mechanism. Depending on the setting, the bell may be struck at each turning point, at each second one, at each third one, fourth or even at only each fifth turning point of the pendulum rod.
Such conventional metronomes optically as well as acoustically show the [beat] time at various settable frequencies, but they introduce the user to the rhythm in a restricted and inadequately natural and close manner. In the time intervals between the two turning points of the pendulum rod, the user is not guided at all or only in an unsatisfactory manner. To a certain extent he may merely estimate the temporal “position” of the subsequent turning point or acoustic beat only on account of the past, but is not guided up to this in a natural manner.
In recording studios, for multi-track dubbing of a piece of music or of a film one operates with a synchronous track, the so-called midi-code. This synchronous track corresponds to a standard. Via a microphone or a suitable interface, it is possible to carry out follow-ups that is to say post-dubbing or post-production in a vocal or instrumental manner or by way of a computer, synthesiser, sequencer or a percussion or base machine. Here one speaks of so-called “overdubs”. Here however it is of utmost importance that a musician who is to post-dub an instrumental voice or a singer who is to post-dub a vocal tone, plays or sings very exactly in the [beat] time of the already recorded music. The slightest of deviations lead to recognisably poor results which lead to the fact often a dubbing needs to be started again several times until finally the desired quality is achieved. For this, expensive recording studio time is consumed. With an improved metronome which may also be activated by the synchronous track (for example midi), the dubber or post-dubber would be in the position of playing-in their recordings in a decisively more efficient manner and preparing them in a qualitatively perceivably improved manner so that many expensive studio hours could be saved. Due to the increased efficiency less “sound-sessions” or less lengthy “sound-sessions” would be required in order to play into a recording. Not only this, but every musician whether singer or instrument player may sharpen and more efficiently practice his feeling for the rhythm with a metronome which leads him better to the rhythm and accordingly leads him closely to this. But not only may musicians may improve with regard to rhythm, but sportsmen may improve there sequence of movements, and movement and speech therapists may help their patients in a more targeted and improved manner.
In the state of the art, from the Patent Abstracts of Japan, Publication No. 63243786 (Seiko Instr. & Electronics Ltd.) a metronome is known which displays a light source with which the individual light sources are arranged along a circular arc. The light signals illuminate successively at a constant period. At the ends of the circular arc the adjacent light sources lie closest together and in the middle furthest apart. For this reason the traveling light point is accelerated so that it is the slowest at the lower turning point and the greatest in the middle arc, thus in its upper zenith. This course of movement, however, does not correspond to a natural movement with which every person is acquainted. From WO 03/052528 (Taesung Ins. Co. Ltd.) a metronome is known which lights up a row of LEDs from the left to the right and from the right to the left in a rhythm with a selectable frequency so that this running light displays a uniform movement. Such a uniform movement may amongst other things be understood as a horizontal component of a trajectory-like movement.